Stories for Small Appliances
by Teacup Countess
Summary: A collection of stories set after The Fate of the Parts Shop and On the Edge.
1. Big Debut

_**This is a semi-sequel to The fate of the parts shop. No Plot, just a bunch of short tales. Updated whenever I feel like it.**_

_**1- Big Debut**_

* * *

Trevor sat on Mr. Vazquez's work table, admiring his new screen. The small TV shook in joy.

"It's gorgeous, isn't it?" The drill sitting beside him asked.

Trevor nodded. "I'm going home tomorrow, aren't I?"

"Indeed you are," the light overhead replied. "Your master will be here tomorrow morning."

The clock on the wall ticked by.

"We know you work, but what channels do you get?" Chaney asked.

"Channels?" the small TV asked.

* * *

Fantine, Cafe and Cassius sat in front of Artie. His master had gone away on an overnight trip, leaving the appliances alone. Artie was tuned to a local station. In five minutes, the premiere of House of Horrors would begin.

"Wow, Artie, your friends from the shop are quite the horror junkies," Lola said.

"Well, we learned to adapt to horrible circumstances," Artie replied. "So I don't blame them."

Fantine shook in delight. "Can't wait."

Creepy organ music and an establishing shot of an old mansion signaled the beginning of the program.

In white letters were the words House of Horrors.

A figure walked up to the house and knocked on the door before hands dragged them in.

"Welcome, Mistress and I love company." A deformed guy said. He was short and skinny with messy brown hair. A shot of the mantelpiece revealed a peculiar addition: a reel player.

"Wait, is that Loretta?" Cassius asked.

"She did say she worked in radio and House of Horrors was her last broadcast."

The Figure struggled. The man had strapped them to a chair. That scene was done from the prisoner's point of view.

"Now that you're settled, it's time to begin." the man said. He held an open book. "I call this one "The Tale of Dr. Peterson."

* * *

Mr. Smith shook nervously. He sat in the studio head's office.

"Well, Aaron," the older man said. "The ratings are in. They love it."

"So that means I'm..."

"You've got the job." the man said.

Aaron left the room, shaking. He ran to the phone to call his wife. "Sharon, I... I got the job."

Sharpe peeked out of the window, smiling.

"What a coincidence," Tammy, an old computer, said. "Begin with the adaptation of the last." She glanced at Sharpe. "Was it you who dragged one of your lady friend's old reels here?"

Sharpe shrunk back.

"And which inspired him to write such a gruesome tale worthy of praise?" Tammy asked. "Was it you?"

Sharpe backed away.

"Oh, I'm not angry. I'm thrilled."

* * *

"Horror movies, ugh." Kirby snorted. He watched Fantine and her friends hop back from Artie's room.

"Well, some people cope in odd ways," Radio said. "An appreciation for the macabre."


	2. Arcade

**Arcade Machine**

* * *

Rob noticed something in the back of the common room. An Arcade cabinet. The word Urban Brawler was emblazoned on the front in bright lettering. He fished a couple quarters out of his pocket. "Chris, watch my stuff. I'm going to try my luck at this."

Rob walked over to the arcade cabinet. A janitor stood right beside it. "Giving this one a try?" he asked.

Rob nodded.

"Bought it from a pizza place. Have fun."

Rob put the coins in the slot.

"Get ready to brawl!" a very distorted voice said.

It was a fighting game.

* * *

Lampy peeked over the railing. "Master likes video games?"

Radio used his friend as an impromptu step-stool. "Why of course. They're so popular nowadays."

Blanky huddled in a corner, trying not to shout advice.

* * *

A ninja in a brown uniform threw a hail of throwing stars at Rob's character, taking away the last sliver of health.

"GAME OVER!" The distorted voice shouted.

Rob just walked back to his stuff.

* * *

Rob and Chris had other classes.

Fantine hopped over from a few rooms next door. "Who's this big fella?"

"I believe it's called an Arcade cabinet?" Radio replied. The appliances had to crane their "necks" to get a look at it.

The arcade cabinet shuddered. A face appeared on its screen. "Are they gone yet?" He said. His voice was nothing like the digitized growl, but higher pitched. He looked around. "What? No screaming children? Where am I?" He looked down. "Oh, hi."

Toaster walked forward. "You're in a college dorm building."

The machine's mood shifted. "Oh, thank goodness." He shook again. "Oh, where are my manners? I'm Cade."

"Hi, uh," Lampy began. "What was this about screaming kids?"

Cade's eyes darted around the room. "I... uh... um..."

"Lampy, you've made the guy nervous."

"I got a lot of attention from the kids." He shook. "I was put in to keep the kids patient while their parents waited for their orders." More nervous glances. "Sure, it was fun, but..." Another tremor. "Look at what they did to my high score table!" His face disappeared, revealing a high score table.

"Lik...," Lampy read. A pause. "Wait, that's it?"

Cade's face returned. "I've had about five customers today and they must've erased those crude messages." He sighed. "College kids won't leave swear words on my screen. They're much too mature for that." He paused. "Or at least I hope."


	3. Backstage

_**Backstage**_

* * *

Radio glanced at his friends. "I have a confession to make."

"You didn't drum for Cab Calloway?" Toaster asked.

Radio moved his antenna. "Not that, but something else." He sighed. "I wasn't alone performing the exorcism."

"What?"

"Let me explain."

* * *

"Radio, is it?" Igor asked. The ceiling lamp descended towards him.

Radio jumped backward. "Oh, uh, yes! I am Radio." he said.

"One little question? How are you at acting ?" The cables handed Fantine the book. She put the book back in the box.

"I, uh, think I'm good." Radio replied.

Igor thought for a bit. "I'll give you the script."

* * *

Radio paused from telling his story. Fantine and Cassius were standing in the hallway, listening in.

Fantine giggled.

"As I was saying..."

* * *

"So, from what I could gather, my old master thinks I'm possessed by a doctor. This doctor in the mid-1930's was accused of a series of gruesome murders and hanged. He maintains his innocence from beyond the grave."

Radio scratched his "head".

"I would do it myself, but voices coming from a lamp? It would only give Mr. St. Peters' claims validation."

* * *

Fantine hopped away. "And I'm the spirit of a woman abandoned on her wedding night. I died of heartbreak."

Cassius shrugged. "And what am I?"

"Uh, Igor said you used to be a drifter, murdered in a robbery." She paused. "Or at least that's what was in the book."

Radio jumped off the desk. "I would also to thank my friend Lampy for helping me memorize my lines."

* * *

The cables handed Radio a script. "If you're going to perform, you need a script."

Lampy hopped on the table. "Can I help?"

The cables gave Lampy the script. "Why don't you help our star get into character?" Igor chuckled.

Lampy's eyes raked the typed paper. "Uh, Mr. Lorre..."

"Please, call me Igor."

"Where'd you get this?"

Igor just nudged the cover off a box, revealing a typewriter. "This fellow helped me."

Courier clacked his keys, spelling out a message. "He showed me, I wrote it."

* * *

Fantine backed away. "Never knew there was a typewriter up there." She paused. "Until then."


	4. Transplant

**Transplant**

* * *

Brenda sat on Rodrigo's shelf. A customer had donated a motor.

Igor hovered over the box. "Hmm, this looks interesting." He looked at the clock. "Mr. Vazquez should be returning from his lunch break in mere minutes. So, just sit tight. The transplant will be performed when he gets back."

The blender shuddered. "I get a little nervous about going under the knife."

Boris hopped over. "We'll make sure the operation is a success."

Rodrigo strolled back into the back room. Igor, Boris, and Brenda froze in place. This was an all too familiar scene to Igor.

Like Lenny's death, the old lamp thought. Only in reverse.

Brenda's defective motor was removed and the donor one put in. She was sealed up.

Rodrigo left the backroom, headed towards the phone.

"So?" Chaney asked.

Brenda shook. "I feel great." She blinked twice. "But why does this place seem so familiar?"

"Waking up from anesthesia, aren't we?" Igor chuckled.

"No, it's not that," she said.

* * *

Brenda found herself back on her kitchen counter. Batter sat beside her.

"I've never noticed that bandage on your cord," Brenda said.

Batter looked over at her. "New heating elements and a cord transplant. I'm like a new appliance."

Brenda stared into space. "No, no, master... don't do this..." She uttered.

"You okay?" Batter asked.

Brenda shook. "I've gotten a new motor and I've haven't been the same since." She paused. "First, I recognize the shop I was repaired in. I think it used to be a place of horrors."

Batter drew back. "What? They turned that place into a repair shop?"

"You were once there too?" Brenda asked.

"It was a parts shop when I was there." Batter admitted.

The vision came back. "No, I've served you faithfully! No!" Brenda convulsed.

Batter shook his "head". "Oh, I think I know who you got that motor from."

"You do?" Brenda asked, suddenly back to her old self.

"Lenny."


	5. Memoirs of an AC

**_A/N- I'm using this story to write about a character I hadn't written about._**

_**Memoirs of an AC**_

* * *

AC shuddered. His new master didn't need him. The house was getting rebuilt with a few new additions.

"Central Air can go..." he muttered.

"Hey, mister, watch your language," A surly wall clock shouted. "There are electric blankets around."

A couple neatly folded electric blankets giggled. "He almost said the word."

"You should be ashamed of that!" The clock said. "Corrupting young appliances."

AC snorted. "Like I care."

The truck pulled away. AC found himself nearly colliding with the clock.

"I've been in that cottage for years, and I get out only to get replaced?" He shook his head. "I really need to work on my temper."

* * *

AC remembered the day Master and Mistress bought him. The old hardware store in the suburbs had a sale on air condtioners. And he was the one they grabbed.

He woke up the first time they plugged him in. It was a quiet little cottage. Master, Mistress and their son spent their summers there.

There were four appliances: a warm toaster, a noisy radio, a grumpy vacuum and childish blanket. The dimwit lamp wouldn't be there for another month.

The vacuum was the first to greet him.

"You must be the new guy." he groaned.

AC just looked at the side. "I expected a warmer reception." he replied.

* * *

The truck pulled away.


	6. Just the Two of Us Part 1

_**A/N- Okay, who ordered the Lampio? This is just a cheesy, lighthearted chapter.**_

_**6- Just the Two of Us, Part 1**_

* * *

"Good Morning, Light City University!" Radio called out. "In today's news, Robert McGroarty just passed his first exam with an A. Christina Vazquez is also doing well in her classes."

Lampy woke up. "Where'd Toaster go?"

Radio shook. "Um, Master took her to the kitchen. Fantine's owner bought a pack of waffles."

"And Blanky?"

"He's spending time with Chris's appliances. He and Dixie are becoming fast friends."

"And Kirby?"

"The janitor is borrowing him," Radio said. "He'll be back by dinnertime."

"We have the entire dorm room to ourselves!" Lampy cheered. He thought of something. "Uh, I... uh... don't have any ideas? And who's Dixie?"

"A hair dryer." Radio said. "All the things we could do."

* * *

The two appliances hopped down the stairs to the kitchen. Toaster sat on the counter. She quickly unplugged herself and walked over to them.

"Good morning, I hope I didn't scare you by not being in the dorm room."

Radio glanced at Lampy. "Well, Lampy here slept through you leaving?"

"I was having such a nice dream..." Lampy mused.

"Was it the one about running through a meadow?" Toaster asked.

"And I used a mushroom as a light bulb?" Lampy replied.

Radio chuckled.


	7. Just the Two of Us Part 2

_**6- Just the Two of Us, Part 2**_

* * *

Radio and Lampy's next stop was Chris's room. The door was ajar.

Radio knocked on the door with his antenna.

Dixie, a black hair dryer, opened the door with her plug. "Nice to see you." She looked behind her. "Please keep it down. Don't want to disturb something."

Lampy peered in.

Blanky and a small heater sat on opposite sides of a checkerboard. Blanky stared at his pieces before making a move.

"I win again," the small blanket giggled.

"Better luck tomorrow, Dante," the desk lamp said.

"Okay," an irritated voice said. "Whose turn is it to put the checkers away?"

The desk lamp turned to face a vacuum cleaner.

"Mine?" the desk lamp squeaked out.

Lampy decided to help Louise put the board game away.

"The kid's good," Dante said. "Only won one round outta seven."

The walkman nodded.

* * *

Radio and Lampy returned to their dorm room. Kirby was wheeled back in by the janitor.

"Well, how was it?" Lampy asked.

Kirby groaned. "Very messy."

* * *

Rob returned to his dorm room. Hope followed him, carrying Toaster. "Thanks for letting me borrow it." She handed the toaster back to Rob.

After returning Toaster to her spot, Rob left for dinner. Blanky sat on the chair.

"So, how was it?" She asked. "Your time alone."

"Well, we visited you," Lampy said.

"That was Lampy's idea," Radio added.

"And I helped put away a board game!"

"That too!"


	8. Night Terrors

_**A/N- And some more Lampio hints?**_

_**8- Night Terrors**_

* * *

_Lampy sat on the shelf, glancing into the rubbish bin. Toaster's entire facade had been ripped off, revealing a missing heating element. Kirby and Blanky had dials and motors removed. Radio was nothing but an empty shell._

_Igor descended. "You see what he did?"_

_Lampy backed away, almost knocking over a can of paint. "Yes?"_

_The hanging lamp was surprisingly solemn, a far cry from his usual self._

_"Some of us came with companions," Fantine said. "There was an alarm clock with me... and a microwave."_

_"No one is safe, honey," Loretta said._

_"No one is safe..." a few others echoed._

_Asmiov turned to face Lampy. "I appreciate having another lamp here... well, one that can move."_

_"Make him pay!" Batter hissed._

_The smile returned to Igor's face. "No more hiding keys. This means war."_

* * *

Lampy twitched. "No..." He uttered. "No..."

"Good Morning Light City University! In today's news, midterm exams are right around the corner. We at Bakelite News wish all the students the best of luck, epecially Christina Vazques and Robert McGroarty. We hope they study hard."

Lampy slowly awoke. Radio sat on the desk.

"In other news, Miss Toaster has caused quite a splash in the cafeteria. Frozen waffles are popular and in high demand."

Lampy hopped towards Radio.

"This is Rodney Lovitz signing out. Tune in around suppertime for our evening broadcast."

"Oh, good morning, my fine brass friend," Radio said. "You were having quite the night terror."

Lampy hopped in for a closer look. "You... you're... still around?"

"Of course," the radio chuckled. "I've passed my Ruby anniversary and I'm still going."


	9. Comfort

**_9- Comfort_**

* * *

"Tell me, what did you dream last night?" Radio asked.

Lampy hopped close. "Uh, remember the day you almost...

"Got lobotomized?" Radio chuckled.

Lampy laughed along with him. "Yeah, that. I dreamed that we were back in the shop. And you, Toaster, Blanky and Kirby were lying in a recycle bin."

Radio nodded, or the radio equivalent.

"And the others were talking about war... and making him pay."

Radio perked up. "Starting a riot, perhaps?"

"And did Fantine really have company?"

* * *

A couple hours later, Fantine hopped down the hall.

"Ask her," Radio whispered.

Lampy approached the desk fan. "Uh, were you alone?"

Fantine wrinkled her "nose". "What do you mean?"

"When you... got into the shop?"

"Oh, that!" Fantine said. "No, I wasn't. Mr. St. Peters picked up me along with a microwave, an alarm clock and..." She scratched her head with her plug. "A flashlight."


	10. The Age Old Question

**_A/N- I've written enough Lampio angst for a while. Now it's time for something a little more... funny. Anything in italics is an imagination spot._**

**_10- The Age-Old Question_**

* * *

"This is Rodney Lovitz of Bakelite news signing out and wishing all students good luck." Radio fell silent, watching Lampy hop over.

"Where do appliances come from?" he asked.

"Haven't you heard? We're made in a factory. Humans essentially adopt us."

"Adopt us?"

_Strong hands gently wrapped the tiny lamp in a blanket._

_"He's perfect!" a female voice said. The man placed the bundle in the woman's arms._

_The lamp opened his eyes._

_"He's a good gooseneck lamp," the man said. "Be sure to change his bulb if it burns out."_

_"Where should we put him?" the woman asked her husband._

_"Rob's room needs a little more light," he said._

Lampy smiled.

"Buddy, what are you thinking about?"

"Adopt us? Like, carry us in blankets?"

Radio struggled to contain his laughter. "Nice thought, but we come in boxes."


	11. Adopt a Machine

**_A/N- Again, this chapter contains an imagination spot. Actually, several._**

**_11- Adopt a Machine_**

* * *

Lampy sat on the desk.

"And our lamp friend thinks humans literally take us home from the factory. Like in little bundles. And we ride home in a car seat."

"Still, there's a lot for me to learn..."

Lampy's gaze raked the room. Kirby was the first one on the left.

* * *

_The wheels of several vacuums echoed down the hall as a woman in a denim jumpsuit chased after them._

_The little vacuums, barely reaching the worker's knee, giggled._

_She paused to catch her breath, feeling a baby vacuum brush against her leg._

_"Oh, hi, there." she said. She knelt down to read the brand on the little machine. "Kirby?"_

_The vacuum just stared at her. "Well, come along. There's a family out there that wants to adopt you." She gently lifted the vacuum._

* * *

"I'll ask Sonny if we can borrow one of Chris's engineering textbooks," Toaster said.

* * *

_"Hello," a man said at the front desk. "Do you have any toasters? Ours stopped working."_

_The receptionist got up. "Well, all of our appliances are fresh from the assembly line." She led the couple down the hall. "Now where do they keep the toasters?" She pushed open a door._

_"Any particular brand of toaster?" she asked._

_A tiny Sunbeam toaster fell on her face. The worker rushed to the appliance's side. "This one still needs to learn to walk." She helped the machine to her "feet"._

_"We'll take her."_

* * *

"I would like that," Lampy said. "Even though I had a funny idea..."

Blanky slipped out the door.

* * *

_"Now where'd that electric Blanket go?" one of the workers said._

_The blanket hid in the laundry basket, giggling._

_The worker saw some of the laundry shift. "There he is."_

* * *

Blanky shuffled back. Kim carried the textbook on her head.

"You want it?" she groaned. "Here. But have it back by tomorrow."

Radio opened the book. "Ah, here's the chapter on manufacturing..."

Lampy paused.

* * *

_A man pushed open a door. "Looking for a new radio?" he said to a couple._

_Static and the occasional music bit erupted from a small red one._

_"This one?" the husband said._

_"Still can't talk well. Give him time."_


	12. Memories

_**12- Memories**_

* * *

Louise hopped towards Kim. "Still thinking about it?"

Kim raised an eyebrow. "I do that a lot."

"Hey, uh, what was she like?"

"Like?"

"Your previous owner."

Kim sighed. "You wish to hear the full story?"

Her companions nodded.

* * *

Kim sat in the closet. Her mistress sat in her usual chair, knitting. Every so often, a white Persian cat would leave its bed and walk around the living room.

"Well, I do appreciate her needlework," Kim thought. She took a moment to examine her reflection in a mirror. Her otherwise gray bag had been decorated with needlework roses. "But, it's a little tacky."

* * *

"And how'd you get to the repair shop?" Louise asked.

"Well, Mistress was rushed to the hospital. Massive stroke, they said. Her grandchildren sold me."

* * *

Kim lay on her back on the repair table. "There's enough fur in this vacuum to make a coat!" Rodrigo said. He tossed another fur ball into the trash can. "And the motor looks shot."

Kim felt her "face plate" being torn off. "Luckily, I have bristles and a motor." The new parts were screwed in.

Next thing Kim knew, she was sitting beside the work table.

Chris had entered the shop. "I might need a vacuum cleaner. Is it all right if I take that one?"

Rodrigo paused. "This one?" He put one hand on Kim's handle. "Well, it's been through a lot and needed some serious maintenance, but it works fine. The men tested it."

Chris smiled. "I'll take it.


	13. Doggone It!

**_Doggone It!_**

* * *

For Rayna, it had been an eventful couple of months.

Her first day at Pretty Puppy Pet Grooming had a 50 pound poodle press a wet nose against her steel body.

Nothing a little disinfectant wipes won't fix.

Duchess was otherwise a well-behaved dog.

The other clients were a mixed bag: Caramel, a tiny Yorkie, was a nightmare to work with, while Angus, an elderly Scottish Terrier, was easy to manage.

Dicey would clean up the fur the humans had missed.

* * *

Clarice sat in her dorm room. "What? There's another Kirby in the dorm?"

Belinda, a 70's blender, shook. "In addition to the three others?"

"I wanna meet them!"

Clarice wheeled out of her room.

Belinda chased after her. "What's this about new models making you feel old?"

Clarice laughed. "I can't be the new thing for long."

The appliance meet up happened in the common room.

Clarice looked around the room. "The 60's model. Or one of them." She pointed her plug at Kirby. "Harrison." A heritage. "Leslie." Same model.

The vacuum pouted. He hated his first name. He said it sounded too girly.

She spotted Kim sitting beside Louise.

"I think that's her over there." Belinda said.

Clarice wheeled over.

"Hey, welcome."

Kim paused. "This is the first time I've been to one of these meetups and this happens?"

Louise placed her cord on Kim's stem. "She's a little..."

"Not much for conversation?"

Kim nodded. "Still need to get used to this place."

Clarice paused. "If you have any questions, I'm in room 215." The vacuum and blender left.

Kim shook. "Well, I feel a bit better about this." She paused. "And no one mentioned how tacky my bag is?"

Louise shook her head. "I guess they weren't looking at that."

A smile crept across Kim's face.

* * *

Rayna opened one eye. The receptionist had returned to make a couple appointments.

"Hello, Pretty Puppy Pet Grooming, Betty speaking." Rayna craned her neck. "Yes, we accept cats. Don't let the name fool you." Betty picked the pen up. "What's your cat's name? Sheba? Oh, she's a Persian Cat."

Betty wrote down the name Sheba on the appointment book.

"We have an opening tomorrow."


	14. Active Imagination

_**A/N- Sorry, I must continue this mini-arc.**_

_**Active Imagination**_

* * *

Fantine hopped over. "He doesn't know where appliances come from?"

Radio paused. "Well, he's learning, but earlier he thought we were adopted."

_Fantine sat in her cage. A recently assembled fan and awaiting someone to pick her up. She looked around. The cage had a perch and an outlet near the bottom. The other recently assembled fans fluttered around their cages, having conversations in chirps._

_She glanced at the door leading to where the bigger fans lived._

_A call over the radio startled the fans. A frenzy of chirps nearly deafened the worker._

_"We have a couple looking for a desk fan."_

_Two people entered the room and walked up to Fantine's cage._

_"Ah, turquoise," the worker said. "What a fine color." He took the cage off the shelf._

_"When she starts to get too big for the cage, that mean she's ready for life outside."_

Fantine paused. "Wait, that's not right." She glanced at Cassius.

_The task was simple: take a small tape recorder home and teach it not to eat tapes._

_Cassius was wrapped in a bundle and taken into a house._

_Several blank tapes were scattered around a table._

_"Okay," the worker said. She unwrapped one of the tapes and put it into Cassius's "mouth"._

_He just held it in there. The worker patted him on the head._

_"This is going well."_

Fantine scratched her head with her plug. "That's not right either."


	15. Recycle

_**Recycle**_

* * *

Maggie wondered where all the scrap metal came from. The steel mill where she worked always got a good chunk of material from the junkyard.

She spotted the junkyard owner talking with the steel mill owner.

"Yeah, months ago, my electromagnet went haywire," the man they called Crazy Ernie said.

Maggie paused. Wait, didn't she have a brother? Magnus, was it?

"It's okay now, the guy at the controls must've been dozing off," Ernie replied. He spotted Maggie lifting a fresh sheet of metal onto a conveyor belt. "Looks like we bought our magnets from the same company."

The steel mill owner, a burly man they called Jake, laughed. "This ol' girl's been workin' like a charm."

* * *

_My brother destroys them, while I reassemble them. _Maggie thought.

She glanced below at several metal sheets. A gang of workers were packing them in a truck.

"Okay, boys," Jake said after Ernie left. "Those go to... uh... where?"

One of the workmen shrugged. "Some place that makes cars."

* * *

Another order went to a manufacturer of desk lamps. Maggie wasn't one to keep track of where the metal was going, but sometimes on slow days, it kept her busy.


	16. Fear of Going Home

_**Fear of Going Home**_

* * *

Fantine hopped around. The past two semesters went by so fast.

She glanced at the Calendar on the wall. Lucien walked over.

"Excited about going home?" he asked.

Fantine just shivered. "I don't want to deal with... her."

"Hmm, who are you talking about?"

Fantine hung her head. "A tall white fan. Calls herself Esther."

Lucien just laughed. "I'm mainly in the living room. She's in one of the bedrooms. If not one, the other."

* * *

Fantine peered into Rob's room. Toaster and friends were busy talking.

"Our Cutting Edge friends will love hearing our adventures," Radio said.

"So, did you really befriend them while I was out cold?" Toaster asked.

"Well, Slots, they realized what they did was wrong."

Fantine backed away.

"I just hope Esther listens to reason."


	17. Security

_**A/N- This is an intermission chapter. The real conclusion will be tomorrow.**_

_**Security**_

* * *

They called him Fantom. He was a metal desk fan who mostly sat on the security guard's desk of Dillon Dillo's Pizza.

Too bad the guard mostly used his shift for sleeping.

Fantom nudged the guard with his plug.

"Well, buddy, I like you," he muttered. "College isn't cheap and you need money." He paused. "I'll cut you a deal."

A word appeared on each of the camera feeds. "Dude, he's out cold."

"I was gonna... do his job for him?" Fantom said. He took the flashlight in his plug before hopping off the desk.

* * *

Fantom left the office.

"Wow!" The flashlight said. "I've never been out of the office."

"Neither have I," Fantom said.

Down the hall a bit were the arcades. Once Fantom and his companion were in, a few of the cabinets flashed on.

"Wait, you're not the security guard," A particularly surly Monkey Madness cabinet said.

"No, I'm just doing his work for him." Fantom said. "So, uh, how are the animatronics?"

The claw machine just pointed her plug at a stage. "Talk to their manager."

"She means their control module," the skee-ball machine said.

Fantom hopped towards the stage, flashlight in hand.

Dillon Dillo and his two band mates, an anthropomorphic cactus and a rooster, stood perfectly still.

"I've never seen you before," a voice from the back said. "Are you from any places I can't get?"

Fantom paused. "Yeah, uh, the security office."

"Anyway, all is fine on our end." the control module said.

Fantom hopped away.

* * *

It took ages for the metal desk fan to reach the office. He gently put the flashlight on the desk minutes before the bell rang.

The security guard got up and rubbed his eyes.

"Hope Boss doesn't catch me sleeping," he said before trudging out of the office.

Fantom watched him leave. A smile crossed his face.


	18. Home Again

**_Home Again_**

* * *

Fantine found herself sitting in the passenger seat. Lucien sat beside her.

She knew this scene from when she left the repair shop.

How would Esther react?

* * *

Esther stood next to a stereo.

"It's been a full year since you...," the stereo said.

"Slapped the price tag on the small fan?" Esther replied. "I get it, Melody. I'm guilty."

Melody nodded.

* * *

The car parked in front of the house. Lucien was the first to be carried in. Fantine was taken in next.

"Welcome back," Hope's mother said. "How was your first two semesters of college?"

Hope smiled. "Relatively boring."

Fantine was carried into a room with a stereo and a fan. She was set on a desk.

Hope left a few minutes later.

The three appliances came to life.

Melody glanced at Fantine. "Okay, Esther, she's right here."

Esther opened her eyes. "That's not the fan I remember. She looks slightly different."

Fantine just stared. "Of course, I was sold to a parts shop, then repaired."

Esther's eyes widened. "I... didn't want that to happen." She backed away.

Melody glanced at Esther. "But it did." She hopped off the shelf and got a closer look at Fantine.

"I... I... expected you to go some place else. Another home?"

Melody turned her attention back to Esther. "It's your fault."

"I'm sorry," Esther replied, hanging her head.

"Well, this is a start!" Melody chuckled.


	19. Return of Asimov

_**Return of Asimov**_

* * *

The main five sat in the back of the car.

"Hey, should we tell the Cutting Edge gang about what happened during Halloween?" Radio asked.

The others stared at him.

* * *

The college library was way too busy, so Rob decided to do some research at the public library. Of course, Toaster and company decided to tag along.

The appliances watched as Rob approached the section on biology. He had a research paper he needed to plan.

"Quick! Over here!" Lampy said. He pointed his cord at the back room. "We'll hide in here until he's ready to leave."

* * *

A slender table lamp carefully placed a book on the shelf. He adjusted his shade. It had been a few months since he felt whole again. New shade, new harp... Asimov never felt this good. He ran his plug over the books' spines. "The Collected works of Isaac Asimov." He named himself after one of his favorite authors.

The door creaked open. The book slipped from Asimov's plug. He whirled around to face the five.

"Oh, hello, you look familiar," he said.

Kirby eyed him suspiciously. "Remember the junk shop?"

Asimov stroked his "chin". "Well, I may have spent years in that kind of place. What brings you here?"

"We followed our Master to the library," Blanky admitted.

"And who's this Debbie that you mentioned?" Lampy asked.

It seemed like Asimov's light bulb fizzled out. "How'd you learn about her? Did you hear the tapes?"

"Quite interesting tales!" Radio said. "You've been through some..." Lampy blocked Radio from speaking.

Asimov pushed a plastic pumpkin towards them. The top was flat enough for Asimov to leap onto it.

"Let me tell you. If Debbie were in the junk shop, none of you would ever see your master again."

Blanky hid behind toaster.

Asimov flipped the light switch, so that he was the only light in the room. "She ran the shop while Mr. St. Peters was away... with an iron plug. Anyone who tried to escape got destroyed."

He pointed his plug at Kirby. "My first day there, I saw a Heritage Kirby get his motor extracted." Kirby nearly ran into a bookshelf.

"Until I fought back! Debbie's probably been crushed into a cube by now."

Radio spoke up. "Isn't it a little rude to hurt a lady?"

Asimov shook. "I plead self-defense."


	20. Eyes Like Daggers

_**Eyes like Daggers**_

* * *

_Rodney Lovitz sat in an uncomfortable chair. His four companions sat on chairs. A small blond boy, Blake Day, clutched his teddy bear. The hospital environment was cold and sterile._

Lampy lifted up the box. He hated it when Radio broadcast his nightmares. And why did every one of his nightmares have the appliances as human?

_That's when he saw her. Nurse Debbie. A tall, green-haired lovely woman with a cruel smile. Her uniform was impeccable. "Welcome! Let me show you to your accommodations."_

_The five got up and trudged through the door._

The box was slammed down. Kirby inched forward. "Why did you put a box over Radio?"

Lampy scratched his chin. "He's broadcasting his nightmares again." Lampy peered under the box.

_A horde of scarred patients stared at the five as they passed. Debbie gave Rodney a kiss on the cheek. "Stay here until mealtimes... or if we need something from you."_

Outside the dream, Radio turned a sickly shade of green.

* * *

A few minutes of Radio being in the box later, Blanky was the one to lift the box.

Radio was awake. "Oh, was I sleep-broadcasting again?"

His four friends stared at him.

"Robert was reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest for literature class and..." Radio explained. "I had ol' Lampy here read it to me."

"And you made your own mental radio play starring us?" Lampy scolded him. "And this Debbie character?"

Radio nodded.


End file.
